Case Number 16471

BOSTON LEGAL: SEASON FIVE

The Charge

Denny Crane (William Shatner): Hey, maybe I'll retire after this. Alan
Shore (James Spader): Don't be ridiculous... Denny: Well, what better way
to go out? My last case, in front of the Supreme Court. Now there's a finale,
Alan. Alan: They should put it on TV. Denny: We'd get ratings.
Alan: If they promoted us. Of course, I think there's a law against promoting
us. Denny: Seems to be.

Opening Statement

Every year, TV fans are faced with voting, eliminations and the departure of
faithful friends, and I'm not talking about Survivor. With the
announcements of new pilots and series being added to each network's roster,
invariably fans also eventually have to wave goodbye to beloved series whose
time has run out. Boston Legal: Season Five is ABC's closing argument for
what was one of the greatest rides in episodic television.

Facts of the Case

Without a doubt the most eclectic legal team in TV history, the partners and
associates of Boston Legal are back for their final bow. With senior
partners Denny Crane (William Shatner) and Shirley Schmidt (Candace Bergen) at
the helm, the lawyers of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt are back to their old
courtroom antics, occasionally over-the-top plotlines and truly memorable
character moments as they wrap up the series with a season five baker's
dozen.

All 13 episodes of the show's fifth and final season are now available to
fans with the release of Boston Legal: Season Five, spread over four
discs as follows:

The Evidence

Hot on the heels of creator David E. Kelly's previous series The
Practice, Boston Legal premiered on ABC in October 2004. By the time
the show ended in December 2008, the series had just broken the 100 episode
mark, despite an abbreviated 13 episode fifth season. Rumors seem to be mixed on
both the show's cancellation and David E. Kelly's supposed fight to have the
show renewed after the fourth season. ABC execs never really came forward to
either explain the cancellation, or the reasoning behind a short final season,
leaving fans somewhat in the dark as to why their beloved show was coming to an
end. Fortunately, Kelly didn't relax into the home stretch and delivered some of
the best character moments, plotlines and cases to ever hit the docket of Crane,
Poole, and Schmidt.

As a self-confessed fan of the series from the beginning, it took me some
time to get used to the frequent cast changes that occurred over the show's five
years. With little explanation, recurring cast members would disappear from the
show, often to be replaced by new and unknown characters. A bit of a mixed bag
at first, it quickly came to seem that this approach was no different than real
life, with new acquaintances and work colleagues replacing old ones in a
stream-of-consciousness manner that really is true to life. Each time a familiar
character left the show, I'd invariably experience a short mourning period,
vowing never to like the new cast members, only to find the new members became
comfortable and familiar in no time at all.

Looking back on the entire series, it's interesting to note the quirky and
heartfelt relationship that developed between Denny Crane (William Shatner) and
Alan Shore (James Spader) grew from what seemed to be an afterthought in the
early parts of the first season, into one of the cornerstones of the series that
continued to keep old fans coming back, while also drawing new ones. For me at
least, the special chemistry Shatner and Spader brought to their on-screen
friendship, as well as the strong writing brought to their scenes, will be one
of the unique features of Boston Legal that I will miss most.

Another unique element of the series was the consistent caliber and quality
of the recurring cast and guest appearances. From Meredith Eaton-Gilden's
portrayal of the little person lawyer Bethany Horowitze to Betty White's
brilliant portrayal of Alan's slightly insane assistant, the supporting cast of
Boston Legal was never short of brilliant. The recurring cast of judges
also kept the stories entertaining, from Shelley Berman's memorable recurring
portrayal of Judge Robert Sanders (a.k.a. the "poppycock" guy) to
Henry Gibson's portrayal of Judge Clark Brown, the courtroom was never boring.
The series' guest star list reads like a veritable "who's who" of
Hollywood: Ed Begley, Jr., William Daniels, Delta Burke, Rupert Everett, Michael
J. Fox, Parker Posey, Ethan Phillips, Robert Wagner and a whole host of
impressive character actors.

I'd be guilty indeed if I didn't address the often humorous but no less
respectful way the show addressed both Alzheimer's Disease and Asperger
syndrome. Over the course of the series, Denny Crane (Shatner) began to realize
his forgetfulness and off-the-wall behavior were a result of developing
Alzheimer's disease and the related symptoms. Even though the audience laughed
at Crane's behavior at times, the disease itself was never taken lightly and the
show made strides towards familiarizing the public with this increasingly common
illness. Similarly, Asperger syndrome, a little-known variant of autism, was
brought to light through the character of Jerry Espenson (Christian Clemenson).
A brilliant lawyer, Espenson learns to manage his symptoms through various
therapies and serves as a positive example of flourishing in the face of
adversity, while increasing awareness of a potentially socially crippling
condition.

The menus on each DVD feature the show's catchy theme and a static image of
one of the core cast members, while character-specific clips play in the
background. Boston Legal: Season Five delivers a solid presentation on
both the audio and video fronts. The video presentation is solid throughout,
with strong colors and contrast, and excellent clarity. The audio mix is well
balanced between music, ambient sound and dialog, even employing surround
channels at times for a slightly more immersive experience.

Rounding out the content on Boston Legal: Season Five, "Stricken
From The Record!" delivers 11 deleted scenes with introductions by
executive producer/director Bill D'Elia; "Denny And Alan: Friends To The
End" gives a retrospective of what ultimately came to be the core
relationship that anchored the entire series, as cast and production members
comment along the way. This featurette alone is worth its weight in gold.
"Denny's Daughter: The Untold Story" talks about how an entire subplot
that dealt with Denny meeting a daughter he didn't know he had, was ultimately
excised and included in its entirety as a bonus feature. "Closing
Statement: The Boston Legal Series Finale" joins the crew and
creative team as they talk relatively spoiler-free about the end of the series
and the final episode, including the challenge of delivering a satisfying end to
a show with such a loyal fan base.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

I definitely get the decision to cancel a TV series is almost solely driven
by lost advertising revenues resulting from dropping ratings, but I'm still
baffled by the cancellation of Boston Legal. An Emmy award-winning
series, Boston Legal should easily have been able to keep going strong
for a few more seasons. Another nit worth picking is the relatively thin
assortment of extra features on this release. Boston Legal deserved an
appropriate final send-off, but you really won't find that here. Notably absent
are episode commentaries and an in-depth cast and crew retrospective looking
back on the entire series.

Closing Statement

Boston Legal delivered more than 100 high-quality episodes over the
course of five years, setting the bar very high for future projects from David
E. Kelly and TV dramas in general. Fans of the show can only hope that Mr. Kelly
is currently hard at work on his next TV project, while they shed a tear and say
farewell to the Crane, Poole, and Schmidt family.

The Verdict

Boston Legal: Season Five closes the book on what is arguably one of
the best TV series ever produced and certainly the pinnacle of David E. Kelly's
career. Even with reservations about the thin offering of special features, this
release is a must-have for fans. Even if you've never been a fan of David E.
Kelly's work in the past, or don't generally prefer legal dramas, I encourage
you to start at the beginning and enjoy Boston Legal. You won't be
disappointed.